Stop Calling Them VAs: How to Build a High-Performing Remote Legal Team, with Raquel Gomes

Hiring offshore staff can transform a law firm, but only if it's done intentionally. In this episode, Zack Glaser sits down with Raquel Gomes, co-founder and CEO of Stafi, to discuss the most common mistakes law firms make when hiring remote offshore team members. Drawing on her background in psychology and experience supporting hundreds of law firms, Raquel explains why the term "virtual assistant" may be holding firms back and how successful firms build engaged, high-performing remote teams. Zack and Raquel explore the importance of defining roles before hiring, creating effective vetting processes, building structured onboarding systems, integrating remote staff into firm culture, and continuing to invest in team members after they are hired. They also discuss how law firm owners can move from working in the business to leading the business by building teams they trust. Listen to our previous episodes on hiring, delegation, leadership, and building stronger law firm teams: #616: From Solo to CEO: Letting Go of Legal Work to Grow Your Firm, with Ellen Williamson Apple | Spotify | LTN #615: How to Stop Being the Bottleneck and Build Stronger Teams, with Debbie Foster and Stephanie Everett Apple | Spotify | LTN #523: Financial Red Flags: Are You Hiring Too Soon?, with Bernadette Harris Apple | Spotify | LTN Links from the episode: https://getstafi.com Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. Chapters / Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:26 Why "VA" Is the Wrong Mindset 04:21 Mistake #1: Hiring Reactively Instead of Strategically 06:02 Mistake #2: Weak Vetting and Screening 09:29 How Stafi Evaluates Candidates 11:41 Mistake #3: Poor Onboarding Processes 13:19 Creating SOPs Through Training 15:20 Mistake #4: Failing to Integrate Remote Staff 18:51 Investing in Team Culture and Communication 20:39 Mistake #5: Giving Up Too Soon 22:58 What Makes Stafi Different 24:45 Immigration Case Outsourcing Explained 26:34 The Benefits of Getting Offshore Hiring Right 27:28 Where to Learn More About Stafi